The first Decade of the 2010’s was a harsh one. But also in other ways a good start for the year. I had a chance to get a new schedule job change, volunteer and work for my Alumni Folks, help my church to “Rethink”, won my case of my Saxophone and getting an unexpected check from Reed vs Dresser Settlement Claims. And like every other year, 2010 and I had some losses. Tough losses.

The Good:

Rethink Church. Especially my church.

Juneteenth Day in Wisconsin became a State Holiday. It’ s real now, not even Scott Walker or the haters can’t touch it.

Milwaukee’s African World Festival returns with a one day festival in August. – Which is my “Favorite Comeback Event of the year”. After being out of the spotlight for two years financially.

Alumni Check ins: Had a chance to return to my High School Reunion, College and University Alumni Functions and workshops. Big ups to Milwaukee’s John Marshall High School Class of 1990-2000 Reunions, the Milwaukee Area Technical College and University of Wisconsin-Stout Alumni Associations.

Eugene Kane and James Causey of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. At least they tell some good news.

Wisconsin Badgers Football. 2010 Big Ten Champs.

Wisconsin establishments are now Smoke Free! So I can go to a club and be healthy at the same time. The haters on the other hand don’t think it’s an idea. What’cha been smoking?

Brandon Jennings had a good season with the Bucks.

The Green Bay Packers with or without Aaron Rodgers. And with Clay Matthews!

Milwaukee had received 2 WWE Smackdown Events at the Bradley Center in the year.

Milwaukee County Supervisor Nikyla Harris became the new Supervisor of Milwaukee’s District 2 area replacing Toni Clark.

For me: I had some good pointers in 2010 in which was personal. My saxophone that I owned for 21 years, was under siege by a local music shop which they thought it was stolen, but there was no proof of that of being stolen. However it was returned to me no charge. And in October, I was awarded a check over 5 grand with the Reed vs Dresser Settlement Case which had a problem of hiring, training and taking in Wisconsin African-American Applicants. For all you companies out there, you better be careful of not hiring blacks because it might bite you big!

Health Care Reform! – Good. And so the haters began to complain.

Shani Davis winning the Gold Medal in Speed-skating – AGAIN!

Mo’Nique winning an Oscar Award. – Don’t Hate!

New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl.

Brett Favre’s Streak of 297 games – Over. And was looking at 2 losses against the Packers.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – IS OVER! Let them serve openly.

Keith Olbermann for attacking the Tea Party, the Shirley Sherrod Case, and the question “Where are the people of color at the Tea Parties?”

Bill Maher – enough said.

In Music: No I didn’t listen to Justin Bieber and other folks. I listened to Cypress Hill, Diddy Dirty Money, Eminem, The Roots, Toni Braxton, Ice Cube, Michael Jackson’s new joint, Faith Evans, and a bunch of Old School stuff that took me back in the day before Lil Wayne’s and TI’s prison terms.

Windows Phone 7

In Movies: Iron Man 2, The A-Team, The Karate Kid (2010 Version), Machete, Get Him to The Greek, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Faster – which has a Milwaukee connection. And for the record: NO SOCIAL NETWORK!

I also met new folks on Facebook, a local Black fraternity, and sent over 2,000 tweets on twitter.

The NAACP for standing up to the Tea Party and telling them to repudiate (not refudiate) their racist elements.

Milwaukee gained new stations in HD – A country music station, and a retro station that shows nothing but old school shows.

The Bad:

I need to put this on the top of the list: Ron Johnson and Scott Walker. And my opinion, Tom Barrett and Russ Feingold shouldn’t have lost under the so-called Wisconsin Tea Party folks!

The Tea Party. And not to forget the “Don’t Tread on Me” Flags, and those wished that it was the American Revolution all over again.

Michael Steele.

TeaParty365.

TSA.

The Fox 6 Milwaukee Blog site. I’ll miss that the most.

The blizzard on the East Coast. Hey, we Midwesterner folks know that all too well.

Folks rushing to the stores to buy the Ipad. It’s not that serious!

Andrew Breitbart and his “stories” of Shirley Sherrod footages with the NAACP.

Sarah Palin.

Alveda King. – She needs a reality check of her famous uncle!

Glenn Beck.

Charlie Sykes and any right wing news hack in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Brewers – don’t hate. If they start winning more, they will be on my good list.

Atlanta Hawks Player Josh Smith of his comment about Milwaukee in general.

Black owned restaurants in Milwaukee of Stella’s, The Bayou, and Manna House all forced to close up shop. This is one example of why the black (and I mean BLACK) businesses is in need of constant support.

When will Nintendo Wii and EA Sports ever get it with Madden?

Brass Bell Music in Glendale, WI. See my For me post.

Dresser Waukesha for not hiring and training African-Americans in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin and the “boondoggle/It will never work/brain-drain syndrome” – and letting go 810 Million Dollars of High Speed Rail and the jobs. That was a waste. And Talgo is moving out in 2012 leaving a maintenance base. Wow Scott Walker, and Wisconsin Tax-Payers. Thank you morons for making sure that the state stays behind. Disgusted.

A bar in Wisconsin that refused blacks as patrons. Don’t that send us back even more?!

Haiti Earthquake.

BP Oil Spill.

The flood in Milwaukee that the city didn’t had in over 100 years. Crazy. And remember that sinkhole!

Milwaukee is ranked 4th as poorest in the nation, and it’s still segregated. And the crazy JSOnline folks who spend too much time on the columns of Eugene Kane and others still don’t understand. Are they too broke to work or go to school? My God!

Milwaukee is number 1! ( in Drinking).

Crazy and UGLY!!!!:

What is up with Milwaukee’s Bradford Beach and folks of all colors can’t get along? And again, there are those in Milwaukee who see the blacks as thugs? When will I get my chance? When?! And when will Milwaukee will get out of the 1975/1980’s “all day everyday” syndrome?

Back in the spring, when the Milwaukee Bucks were in the playoffs, the term “Fear The Deer” became a reality when a heard of deer crashed a bar in Menomonie during the game.

I became a “hater victim” on Youtube. If you want to know, well it was about this jobber named superstr5 or whatever his name was, thought I was lying about going to a wrestling match in 1996. Hello, I got the ticket stub at home to prove this! Let this be a warning to everyone: I’m not here to get cracked on. If you got a bone to pick on, pick on somebody else. One thing for sure, I did reported the incident on youtube. AND I MEAN on YOUTUBE!

The High Speed Rail Project was first halted by Gov. Jim Doyle, then was the setup by Scott Walker to scrap it. Again: A Waste.

On the lighter side of things time to reflect on those we lost:

Teena Marie – you younger bucks better recognize real music instead of being a pretty face.

Laurie Bembenek

Leslie Neilsen

Lena Horne

Gary Coleman

Barbara Billingsby

George Steinbrenner

Rue McClanahan

Dixie Carter

Teddy Pendergrass

Locally where I’m at: I lost those who were close –

Forrest Rash

Rev. Jodie Joiner

Ethel Richards

Dorothy McGuin

and two I felt were family: Sabrina Junior who was my cousin was murdered in August. This was a disgusting act of violence that effected my family, my younger cousins who will not see their mother again. And my family had the family dog we called “boo-bear” had be put to sleep because of age illness. We were blessed to have her as a dog. We took her in our home, fed her, played with her and just took her in as family. We thanked God for her 14 years (98 dog years) she has given us.

2010 was a rough start. But I think 2011 will be an improvement of better beginnings, healing, and outcomes.